Stephen Sechrist, born March 24, 1857 in York County, PA, was the 8th child and 6th son of John Sechrist and Susan Frey.  He married Susan Stein and they resided in Red Lion, York County, PA.  Stephen and Susan were the parents of four children, who were named Bertha, Stella, James and Elsie.  Stephen passed away in 1943 and Susan in 1938, and both are buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.

Stephen and his descendants played a major role in the early development of Red Lion as a borough, from both a business and civic standpoint.  According to the biographical sketch of Stephen in the History of York County, Pennsylvania, Volume 2 by George Prowell in 1907, Stephen attended local schools from ages 6 to 16 before attending Union Seminary in New Berlin, PA for a short time.  At the age of 18 he began teaching in Chanceford Twp and continued teaching for 16 years in Dallastown, Red Lion and Windsor.  He began manufacturing cigars on a small scale in 1884 and in 1899 he entered into a partnership with T.E. Brooks & D.A. Horn to form the Porto Rico Cigar Company, in which Stephen was Treasurer.  The factory for the company is along E. Broadway in Red Lion and is now the Red Lion Municipal Building.  Then in April 1907, the Red Lion Furniture Company was organized and Stephen was elected President.  In 1917, he helped form the Red Lion Cabinet Company and also served as its President.  Stephen was also one of the directors for the First National Bank of Red Lion and served as President for a period of time as well.  For civic involvement, he was instrumental in helping to establish the Red Lion Water Company, serving as its Treasurer and served on borough council for one term and as a school director for Red Lion for two terms.

Stephen’s oldest daughter Bertha and her husband Charles Zarfos were also prominent in early Red Lion.  Bertha was well educated for someone at that time, as she graduated from Millersville State Teachers College in 1901 and then went on to become a first grade teacher in Red Lion.  Her husband, Charles Zarfos, was a successful businessman.  In 1907, he partnered with his brother-in-law Earl Burg to purchase the Detwiler Furniture and Funeral Directing business and renamed it Zarfos and Burg.  They remained partners until 1934, when Mr. Burg took over the funeral home side of the business and Charles kept the furniture business and renamed it Zarfos Furniture Store.  It was a family business, as Charles and Bertha’s 3 sons and youngest daughter all became partners in the enterprise.  The Zarfos Furniture Store was located at 21 W. Broadway in Red Lion for over 100 years since its inception in 1907, but has since closed.

James Bayard Sechrist attended Pennsylvania State College (now called Penn State University) and afterwards went into business with his father.  When the Red Lion Furniture Company was formed in 1907, James was elected Secretary.  In 1917, he joined with his father in the creation of the Red Lion Cabinet Company, where James also served as Secretary and General Manager.  During its peak operation in 1953, the Red Lion Cabinet Company employed 1,650 people, which is a large scale operation for a small town such as Red Lion.  James also served as director of the Red Lion Water Company.

Elsie Sechrist, the youngest child of Stephen and Susan, was a music teacher.  Her husband, Samuel S. Laucks, was an attorney.  He graduated from Ursinus College in 1910 and attended Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania for his post-graduate studies.  Afterwards, he taught for the Red Lion School District and served as principal in 1914-15.  He was admitted to the York County Bar in 1916 and began practicing law.  He was elected to serve one term in the PA House of Representatives (1917-1918 term, was not a candidate for re-election), served as the York County Assistant District Attorney and was President of the York County Bar Association for the 1952-1953 term.  Samuel also served as the reception chairman for Red Lion’s Golden Jubilee in 1930, and as publicity chairman for the Diamond Jubilee in 1955.  Both their sons were also well respected throughout the area, as his son Samuel S. Laucks, Jr. followed in his footsteps and joined his father in the family law firm and S. Philip Laucks became a prominent local physician.

I would like to thank Apryl Zarfos Anderson for allowing me to use all the photographs that she has available on her website.  Apryl is a descendant of Stephen and Susan’s daughter Bertha.  Please visit her excellent website for additional photos, stories and information on Stephen Sechrist and Susan Stein, she would love to hear from other “cousins” as well.  Her website is https://www.aprylza.com/home/aixtinct-the-genealogies/sechrist/

Stephen Sechrist born March 24, 1857 in York County, PA, died November 30, 1943 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.  He married Susan Stein born October 22, 1859 in York County, PA, died October 20, 1938 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.

Children and Grandchildren of Stephen Sechrist and Susan Stein:

1. Bertha Sechrist born March 22, 1884 in York County, PA, died April 24, 1953 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.  She married Charles Franklin Zarfos born March 28, 1883 in York County, PA, died October 1967 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.
   1. Elsie Zarfos born April 8, 1909 in York County, PA, died January 8, 1993 in PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.  She married James Favino born April 26, 1910, died July 2, 1985 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.
   2. Charles Zarfos born July 13, 1910 in York County, PA, died August 17, 1994 in Maricopa Countz, AZ and buried at Sunland Memorial Park in Maricopa County, AZ.  He married Pervilla Flinchbaugh born May 2, 1909 in York County, PA, died January 25, 1999 in Maricopa Countz, AZ and buried at Sunland Memorial Park in Maricopa County, AZ
   3. Gerald Zarfos born July 22, 1912 in York County, PA, died February 15, 1987 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.  He married Anne Kuronyi born June 26, 1911 in PA, died April 22, 1999 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.
   4. Jay Zarfos born January 16, 1916 in York County, PA, died November 26, 2000 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.  He married Geraldine Laucks born July 25, 1919 in York County, PA, died March 4, 1999 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA
   5. Richard Zarfos born February 19, 1919 in York County, PA, died October 13, 1929 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA
2. Stella Elizabeth Sechrist born May 9, 1885 in York County, PA, died August 9, 1886 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA
3. James Bayard Sechrist born October 2, 1885 in York County, PA, died May 4, 1971 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.  He married Mary Finkbinder born in 1883 in PA, died June 26, 1971 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA
   1. Mary Elizabeth Sechrist born February 11, 1912 in York County, PA, died March 6, 1998 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.  She married Chalmers Ensminger born December 15, 1908 in York County, PA, died November 2, 1985 in York County, PA and buried at Mount Rose Cemetery in Spring Garden Twp, York County, PA
   2. Stephen S. Sechrist born March 12, 1916 in York County, PA and died January 22, 2008 in York County, PA.  He married Mary Louise Wilton born August 13, 1915 in York County, PA and died July 11, 1994 in York County, PA
   3. James F. Sechrist born July 10, 1922 in York County, PA, died May 6, 1999 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.  He married Virginia Davis born April 4, 1923 in NY, died March 22, 2000 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA
   4. Barbara Sechrist born January 22, 1924 in York County, PA, died January 7, 2007 in Ocean County, NJ and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in York County, PA.  She married Walter Mercy born June 24, 1914, died April 30, 1996 in Ocean County, NJ and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in York County, PA.
4. Elsie Sechrist born April 19, 1889 in York County, PA, died November 8, 1987 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.  She married Samuel S Laucks born October 23, 1885 in York County, PA, died July 12, 1955 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA
   1. Samuel S Laucks Jr. born July 15, 1917 in York County, PA, died September 19, 2012 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.  He married Elaine Kirschner born November 15, 1923 in York County, PA, died February 15, 1996 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA
   2. Stanley Philip Laucks born May 5, 1922 in York County, PA, died June 15, 2013 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA.  He married Dorothy Ott born September 22, 1922 in York County, PA, died June 12, 2005 in York County, PA and buried at Red Lion Cemetery in Red Lion, York County, PA

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